The Conlin Chronicles: Around the Smith Farm

As volunteers during the July 2010 Hill Cumorah Pageant, our area of work was the Smith Farm/Sacred Grove. The vast majority of our time was spent outside in the heat, humidity and drenching downpours. The weather did a number on our appearance and clean clothes. Some areas had umbrellas for protection from the elements. When in the grove we often had to dodge puddles and navigate spongy, wet trails. Our shift managed to get all the rainstorms. We used garbage can liners for makeshift ponchos. The shifts were five hours long and we rotated each hour to a different station. There were ten positions through which we moved, five per day. The morning shift began with prayer meeting at 8:30 a.m. and ended at 2 p.m. Then the afternoon group arrived and worked until 7 p.m. We enjoyed the morning shift best. At any one time during pageant weeks, the Smith Farm always had at least two full-time senior missionary couples, six sets of full-time young sister missionaries, and about 12 volunteer couples present. There were 30 Smith Farm volunteer couples total. During pageant time, it is estimated that 85% of visitors are members of the church. One young sister missionary was fluent in 4 languages. Some young elders came one day to help with a deaf group.

Welcome or Visitor's Center-

This is where the tours began. A young sister missionary told the story of the first vision. The next stop was the canopy by the log home where the group would hear about the home, and the visits of Moroni to Joseph Smith. They had the opportunity to go through the log home. Then it was a walk to a canopy adjacent to the frame home. They heard more of the Joseph Smith story and the golden plates, the problems and challenges of the Smith family etc. After a tour through the frame home, it was time to visit the threshing barn and cooper shop. Walking through the Sacred Grove completed their experience.